Electronic document distribution network with uniform data stream

Abstract

An electronic document distribution network is provided having a uniform data stream which may be used by data processors of varying levels of data processing capability interconnected in the network. The network comprises a plurality of linked communicating data processors. Each of the processors has apparatus for receiving and for transmitting a uniform data stream which is representative of the content and format of the document as well as the processing to be performed with respect to the document. The network includes higher level processors which have a higher level of data processing capability with respect to the data stream and lower level processors. One or more of the lower level processors further include apparatus for scanning a received data stream and for selecting from the data stream parameters which this lower level processor is capable of processing. The lower level processor also has apparatus for storing the non-selective parameters which it is not capable of processing. After the lower level processor has processed the selected parameters, the processor includes apparatus for merging the selected parameters and the stored parameters into a reconstituted data stream which corresponds to the received data stream and apparatus for transmitting this reconstituted data stream to another processor in the network.

I claim: 
     
       1. In an electronic document distribution system having a network of communicating data processors and communication linkages between said processors, the improvement wherein each of the processors has means for receiving and means for transmitting a data stream representative of the content and format of a document and processing to be performed relative to said document,   the network includes higher level processors having a higher level of data processing capability for the data in said data stream and at least one lower level processor having a lower level of data processing capability than said higher level processors for the data in said data stream, and   said at least one lower level processor further includes means for selecting and processing a portion of a received data stream within the capability of said lower level processor, and   means for transmitting unchanged all of the data in said received data stream irrespective of whether the data has been processed,   whereby a single data stream may be used irrespective of the varying processing capabilities of the processors in the system.     
     
     
       2. In an electronic document distribution system having a network of communicating data processors and communication linkages between said processors, the improvement wherein each of the processors has means for receiving and means for transmitting a data stream representative of the content and format of a document, said data stream including parameters defining the processing to be done on data in said data stream and the transmission of said data stream,   the network includes higher level processors having a higher level of data processing capability for the data in said data stream and at least one lower level processor having a lower level of data processing capability than said higher level processors for the data in said data stream, and   said at least one lower level processor further includes means for scanning a received data stream and for selecting from the data stream parameters which said lower level processor is capable of processing,   means for storing non-selected parameters which said lower level processor is not capable of processing,   means for processing said selected parameters,   means for merging said selected and stored parameters into a reconstituted data stream corresponding to the received data stream, and   means for transmitting the data in said reconstituted data stream to said another processor in said network.     
     
     
       3. The electronic document distribution system of claim 2 wherein said lower level processor is a display word processor. 
     
     
       4. The electronic document distribution system of claim 2 wherein said processor to which said reconstituted data stream is transmitted is a display word processor, and said non-selected parameters relate to display capabilities.   
     
     
       5. The electronic document distribution system of claim 2 wherein a first of said higher level processors in said network transmits the data stream to said lower level processor and a second of said level processor receives the reconstituted data stream,   said first and second higher level processors belong to a specific class of processors, and   said non-selected parameters are included in a data processing capability limited to only said specific class of processors.